well the peculiar facilities for the invasion of Ireland, which the ports of Cadiz and Lisbon were calculated to afford. Having but two nights since refused to conciliate Ireland by rejecting the just claims of three-fourths of its population, it behoved ministers to look carefully to that point. As to the fate of New Spain, if Old Spain should not be liberated, his advice would be to promote the establishment of such a system of government in the former as good statesmen could alone approve in any country, namely, a system founded upon the opinions and wishes of the people.

The Earl of Ross observed, that having read the papers presented to the House, and from a full consideration of the operations in Spain, he was impressed with the propriety of opposing the motion.

The Earl of Darnley supported the motion, and argued that to the imbecility of ministers the disasters of that and other campaigns were solely attributable.

The question being loudly called for, a division then took place upon the marquis of Lansdowne's resolution, when the numbers were, Contents 33; Non-contents 65; Majority against the Resolution 32.

they beg leave to call the attention of the House to a statement offered to be proved at the bar, and still remaining uncontradicted on the Journals of the House, that 300 members of the House, comprizing nearly one half of the whole number, are in fact, returned to the House by 150 Peers; the petitioners appeal to the House, whether this glaring fact be not in direct opposition to the original design of the constitution; whether the Commons House of Parliament, instead of being a check upon the Lords, and upon the throne, is not in danger of becoming, by this means, an humble dependant upon the aristocracy, or the tool of the crown; whether it be probable that the sentiments of the Peers should, in every respect, accord with the sentiments of the people, whose Guardians and Representatives the Commons are expected to be; and that the petitioners are induced to make this appeal at the present time, in consequence of several recent occurrences, in which a majority of the members has not only acted in opposition to the voice of the people, but (the petitioners are compelled to state,) has, in their estimation, violated the liberties and birthrights of Englishmen; and the petitioners pray, that the House would coolly and deliberately review that clause in the Bill of Rights, upon which Mr. John Gale Jones [PETITION AND REMONSTRANCE FROM was arraigned at the bar, and condemned NOTTINGHAM FOR REFORM IN PARLIAMENT, to confinement in a prison during the pleaTHE RELEASE OF SIR FRANCIS BURDETT,&c.] sure of the House, the petitioners ask, Mr. Smith presented a Petition and Re- whether the clause which he was charged monstrance from the freeholders, bur- with having violated, that the freedom gesses, and inhabitants of the town and of speech, or debates and proceedings in county of the town of Nottingham, setting parliament, ought not to be impeached or forth," That, whilst most of the nations questioned in any court or place out of on the continent of Europe have been Parliament," was not intended to check sunk in despotism, and, in consequence, the encroachments of a despotic king upon involved in anarchy, it has been the glory the liberties of the people, not to screen of England to possess a limited monarchy, their representatives from the people's a happy constitution, consisting of King, animadversion; in proof that this was its Lords, and Commons, in Parliament assem- meaning, the petitioners refer the House to bled-That the petitioners hail, with rap- the last clause in the same glorious Bill, ture, that branch of the legislature which which states "that no declarations, judgforms the democracy of the constitution, ments, doings, or proceedings, to the prethe House of Commons, receiving it as the judice of the people, in any of the said peculiar blessing of Englishmen, the pal-premises, ought in any wise to be drawn ladium of our liberties, on the preservation of which depends the salvation of our country; and that the petitioners cannot therefore be justly charged with any wish to lower the dignity of this branch of the constitution, when they humbly request a patient hearing of their grievances, and a redress of what they conceive to be their wrongs; and that, under this conviction,

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Friday, June 8.

hereafter in consequence or example;" the petitioners ask whether the House have not converted one clause" to the prejudice of the people," and, by depriving a British subject of his liberty, without a trial by his peers, acted with a vigour beyond the law; and that the petitioners beg leave to state to the House their opinion, that it is not only the right, but the duty, of every

tection and defence."-Ordered to lie upon the table.

representative to lay before his constituents the motives of his public conduct, and appeal to them for their sanction and [PETITION FROM ROCHESTER FOR THE approbation impressed with this convic- RELEASE OF SIR F. BURDETT, &c.] Mr. tion, the petitioners learn with sorrow that Calcraft presented a Petition from the sir Francis Burdett, for a statement of his citizens and inhabitants of the ancient city' opinions to his constituents, has been drag- of Rochester, legally assembled under the ged from his family and home by an order Guildhall of the said city, setting forth, of the House, and conveyed by an army "That the petitioners beg leave to state, of soldiers to the Tower; and that, whilst that they deeply lament the agitation the utmost stretch of power is exercised which prevails in the public mind in conupon those who in the opinion of the peti- sequence of the late proceedings in partioners are not merely innocent, but de- liament relative to Mr. John Gale Jones serving of the gratitude of their country, and sir F. Burdett, and that they do not they observe with concern and mortifica- presume to interfere with the exercise of tion, that the highest state delinquents in the lawful privileges of the House, but at cur not even so much as their censure- the same time cannot refrain from expressLord Castlereagh, an acknowledged traf- ing their humble opinions, that in the imficker of seats in the House, is politely ex- prisonment of Mr. John Gale Jones and cused, and kindly forgiven-the House sir F. Burdett, those privileges have been has refused even to inquire into the con- considerably overstrained; and therefore duct of Mr. Perceval, the first minister of request that the House will be pleased to the crown, though charged with conniv- revise their late proceedings, and restore ing at practices at which our ancestors those persons to their liberty; of which, in would have startled with indignation, the opinions of the petitioners, they now "because those practices are as notorious are unconstitutionally deprived; and that as the noon day sun;" and that these the petitioners cannot but deplore the vote and other grievances imperiously demand given by the House upon the late inquiry the petitioners to call for a thorough Re- into the Walcheren Expedition, as contraform of the House of Commons; they ry to the wishes, opinion, and expectation therefore humbly but urgently pray, that, of the country, and as tending to induce a as a preliminary step, the House will im- belief that the power of government has mediately order the liberation of John an excessive weight in the deliberations Gale Jones and sir F. Burdett, and then of the House; and that the petitioners lend every assistance in their power to- see, with alarm, the enormous influence wards the attainment of a complete Re- acquired by the number of sinecure and form in the Representation; the peti- other places given to the disposal of the tioners are confident that they utter the crown, whereby ministers, utterly unfit sentiments of millions of Britons, when for their situations in the present critical they appeal to the noblest feelings by posture of affairs, are supported, in opposiwhich man can be actuated, the love of tion to the general wishes of the country, his fellow men; when they address them- whose confidence they neither deserve selves to the cool dictates of the unbiassed nor possess; and humbly stating, that the judgment of the House, when the peti- defective and decayed state of the repretioners call upon the House, for the pre- sentation operate, in their opinions, to inservation of its own dignity, to grant them crease the grievances so generally coma radical Reform, they believe that the plained of; and therefore praying, that happiness of the nation, and the salvation the House will make such reform in the of the country, depend upon it; only let representation as may restore public conthe House of Commons be the fair Repre-fidence, and afford a reasonable hope of sentatives of the people, and the peti- a due attention being given to the nationers are persuaded that they will have tional complaint." Ordered to lie on the no occasion to complain of the violation table. of their privileges, for their privileges and our liberties would ever accord: around such a House of Commons the people of England would rally with enthusiasm and rapture; they would unite with them in one common cause, and be ready to shed the last drop of their blood in their pro

[ADDRESS AND Declaration from King, STON UPON HULL, RESPECTING THE COMMITMENT OF SIR F. BURDETT.] Mr. Stani forth prevented an Address and Declara tion of the there-undersigned inhabitants of the town of Kingston-upon-Hull, the county of the same town, and the parish

of the Most High inspire their counsels, that, under the blessing of his providence, this happy country, which has so long. flourished in wealth and freedom, may, in despite alike of the mischievous attempts of wicked or misguided men at home, or the restless ambition of enemies abroad, remain, as it now is, the glory and the pride of Britons, and the envy of the world!"—Ordered to lie upon the table.

[PETITIONS OF PROTESTANTS AND CHRISTIANS, FOR LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE.] Mr. Whitbread presented a Petition from the there-undersigned Protestants, on behalf of themselves and others who agree with them in considering absolute Liberty of Conscience respecting religion to be the unalienable right of all men; setting forth, "That it is the duty of all men to examine, as diligently as may be in their power, the doctrines of religion, and, after such diligent examination, to adopt and to profess what may appear to them to be the truth; and that, in the performance of that duty, men ought not to be obstructed or discouraged, or otherwise tempted to act hypocritically, by any law tending to biass them in the course of such exami nation of the doctrines of religion, by subjecting them, in the case of their dissent

of Sculcoates, in the county of York, adjacent thereto; setting forth," That the undersigned,alarıned by the insidious and repeated attempts which have been lately made by an active and factious party, under the specious pretext of reform, to subvert (as they believe) the very basis of the constitution; and indignant at the unwarranted and shameless assumption of the description of " merchants, tradesmen, and principai inhabitants of this town and the neighbourhood," under which a Petition expressive of sentiments they abhor, has been, or will be presented to the House, feel that it has become a duty to themselves and their country, to unmask the imposture, and avow their own genuine and unbiassed opinion, not therefore concealing their names, or their numbers, under the dubious and deceptious signature of a chairman; they do solemnly and individually protest against the petition, which they suppose to be now upon the table of the House, as from the town of Kingstonupon Hull and its vicinity, as by no means containing the sentiments of either the most respectable or the most numerous part of their inhabitants; they cannot better describe the character of the meeting, at which the petition alluded to was voted, or rather acclaimed, than by stat-ing from the doctrines of any established ing that it was convened contrary to the sense, and in defiance of the refusal of their chief magistrate, and was not ashamed to tolerate expressions of insult towards the magistracy itself; thus misleading the minds of the lower classes, and exciting principles of insubordination and discontent. So impelled, permit them respectfully and most seriously to declare that upon the important question now at issue respecting the privileges of the House, and the more immediate exercise of those privileges in the case of sir F. Burdett (against which the efforts of faction are at present directed) they do entirely and sincerely approve of the resolutions and conduct which the House has adopted; and they trust that the House will continue firm and resolute in maintaining the liberties,franchises,privileges, and jurisdiction of parliament, as not only the true and unalienable birthright and inheritance of the subjects of these kingdoms, but as the last and best, the strong and impregnable, barrier of their own rights,liberties and independence; and in so far as the House shall assert them, by legal and constitutional means, they pledge themselves in support of the House; May the wisdom

church, to suffer death by burning or otherwise, or to suffer any corporal or pecuniary punishment, or to be injured in their reputation by any disability more or less disgraceful; and more particularly that they ought not to be injured, by exclusion from the service of their country, by bearing arms in its defence at a crisis of great national danger such as that which is now impending over the British empire; and that the petitioners acknowledge, with high satisfaction, that, in the present reign, considerable progress hath been made towards the full restoration of the rights of conscience, by the wisdom of parliament, and the benignity of the King, rescinding various laws, in whole or or in part, which were violations of those rights; yet, since other penal laws, not less injurious to those rights, remain unre pealed-since some of these laws subject to corporal punishments or pecuniary penalties-others, as in the case of the Test Laws, passed in the reign of Charles 2, subject to disgrace, disability, and, privation of civil rights, persons whose only of fence it is, that, in conformity with their duty, they have examined the doctrines of religion, and, by such examination, have